acacia

noun

aca·​cia ə-ˈkā-shə How to pronounce acacia (audio)
1
: gum arabic
2
: any of a large genus (Acacia) of leguminous shrubs and trees of warm regions with leaves pinnate or reduced to phyllodes and white or yellow flower clusters

Examples of acacia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This pool table is made with solid acacia and hardwood with a 1-inch three-piece slate bed. —Claire Peltier, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2024 Best Choice Products Acacia Wood Chaise Lounge Recliner Made of acacia wood, this sleek chaise lounge chair deserves a spot by your pool, even in the off season. —Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Oct. 2024 It’s formulated with natural waxes to amplify lashes and quick-drying acacia gum to hold the curl, according to the brand. —Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 17 Sep. 2024 Given the danger, tribes needed to take shifts keeping watch at night and construct walls made of thorny acacia bushes and to hold them at bay. —Tom Tapp, Deadline, 29 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for acacia 

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, going back to Latin, "a species of Acacia, gum arabic," borrowed from Greek akakía "a plant of the Acacia genus (probably A. nilotica), acacia extract," of obscure origin; (sense 1) Middle English acacia, acacie "astringent gum made from the juice of green plums or sloes," borrowed from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French acasie, acacie "juice of plums or sloes," borrowed from Medieval Latin acacia, going back to Latin, "gum arabic"

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of acacia was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near acacia

acacetin

acacia

acacia gum

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Acacia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acacia. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

acacia

noun
aca·​cia ə-ˈkā-shə How to pronounce acacia (audio)
1
: gum arabic
2
: any of numerous shrubs and trees of the legume family that grow in warm areas and have white or yellow flower clusters

Medical Definition

acacia

noun
aca·​cia ə-ˈkā-shə How to pronounce acacia (audio)
1
capitalized : a genus of woody leguminous plants of warm regions having pinnate leaves and white or yellow flower clusters see catechu
2
: any of the genus Acacia of leguminous plants
3
: gum arabic

More from Merriam-Webster on acacia

Nglish: Translation of acacia for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about acacia

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

9 Superb Owl Words

15 Words That Used to Mean Something Different
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
sweet smart pug puppy dog sitting in front of blackboard with chalk question marks
Commonly Confused Words Quiz Vol. 3 Do you have a (flare/flair) for choosing the righ...